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UN condemns sexual violence in South Sudan

The United Nations mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has formally condemned the deeply disturbing reports of sexual violence , including rape and gang rape, of women and young girls, by soldiers and unidentified armed men.

The UN has stressed that such acts constitute grave violations of international human rights law and may be regarded as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Since the fighting broke out three weeks ago between troops loyal to the country’s rival leaders, UNMISS Human Rights and Women Protection Advisers continued to record wide spread human rights violations.

Over a hundred cases of sexual violence and rape against unarmed innocent civilians – including gang rapes and sexual abuse of minors have been recorded.

These incidents have been reported from a number of locations, including areas in the vicinity of the Protection of Civilians sites near UN House, and also in other neighborhoods of Juba. Despite calls to all parties to cease from this kind of inhumane behavior, the United Nations continues to receive reports of their occurrence.

Meanwhile , heavy fighting continues. Hundreds of people have been reported killed.

Still as regard the conflicts , Lam Akol, South Sudan’‘s head of the opposition Democratic Change group, just resigned from his position in the Kiir government . He said a fragile peace deal was dead and calling for President Salva Kiir’s unity government to leave power.

South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, descended into civil war after Kiir fired Machar as vice president in 2013. More than 10,000 people have been killed and some two million displaced, many of whom fled to neighbouring countries.